The Greatness of the Tirtha of Shulabheda

Verse 1 (skanda.5.213.1)

उत्तानपाद उवाच। अथातो देवदेवेश भानुमत्यकरोच्च किम्। एष मे संशयो देव कथयस्व प्रसादतः॥

uttānapāda uvāca| athāto devadeveśa bhānumatyakarocca kim| eṣa me saṁśayo deva kathayasva prasādataḥ||

Uttanapada said: "Now then, O Lord of the gods of gods, what did Bhanumati do after that? This is my doubt, O God; tell me, by your grace."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.213.2)

ईश्वर उवाच। चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तं सा गता कुण्डस्य सन्निधौ। दृष्ट्वा कुण्डस्य माहात्म्यं राज्ञी हर्षेण पूरिता॥

īśvara uvāca| cintayitvā muhūrtaṁ sā gatā kuṇḍasya sannidhau| dṛṣṭvā kuṇḍasya māhātmyaṁ rājñī harṣeṇa pūritā||

Ishvara said: "Having reflected for a moment, she went to the vicinity of the pool; seeing the greatness of the pool, the princess was filled with joy.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.213.3)

विप्रान् बहून् समाहूय पूजयामास तत्क्षणात्। दत्त्वा तु विधिवद्दानं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नृपात्मज॥

viprān bahūn samāhūya pūjayāmāsa tatkṣaṇāt| dattvā tu vidhivaddānaṁ brāhmaṇebhyo nṛpātmaja||

She summoned many brahmins and worshipped them at once; O prince, having given gifts to the brahmins according to rule,

Verse 4 (skanda.5.213.4)

निश्चयं परमं कृत्वा स्थिता शान्तेन चेतसा। ततः सम्पूज्य विधिवत्पितॄन्देवान्नराधिप॥

niścayaṁ paramaṁ kṛtvā sthitā śāntena cetasā| tataḥ sampūjya vidhivatpitṝndevānnarādhipa||

and having made her supreme resolve, she remained with a tranquil mind. Then, O lord of men, having duly worshipped the ancestor-gods,

Verse 5 (skanda.5.213.5)

क्षपयित्वा पक्षमेकं मधुमासस्य सा स्थिता। अमावास्यां ततो राज्ञी गता पर्वतसन्निधौ॥

kṣapayitvā pakṣamekaṁ madhumāsasya sā sthitā| amāvāsyāṁ tato rājñī gatā parvatasannidhau||

having spent one fortnight of the month of Madhu, she remained there. Then, on the new-moon day, the princess went to the vicinity of the mountain.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.213.6)

नगशृङ्गं समारुह्य कृत्वा मुकुलितौ करौ। विज्ञाप्य ब्राह्मणान् सर्वानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥

nagaśṛṅgaṁ samāruhya kṛtvā mukulitau karau| vijñāpya brāhmaṇān sarvānidaṁ vacanamabravīt||

Climbing to the mountain's peak, folding her hands together, having addressed all the brahmins, she spoke these words:

Verse 7 (skanda.5.213.7)

मम माता पिता भ्राता ये चान्ये सखिबान्धवाः। क्षमापयित्वा सर्वांस्तान्वचनं मम कथ्यताम्॥

mama mātā pitā bhrātā ye cānye sakhibāndhavāḥ| kṣamāpayitvā sarvāṁstānvacanaṁ mama kathyatām||

"My mother, my father, my brother, and whatever other friends and kinsmen there are — having begged forgiveness of them all, convey this word of mine:

Verse 8 (skanda.5.213.8)

त्वत्पुत्री शूलभेदे तु तपः कृत्वा स्वशक्तितः। विसृज्य चैव सात्मानं तस्मिंस्तीर्थे दिवं ययौ॥

tvatputrī śūlabhede tu tapaḥ kṛtvā svaśaktitaḥ| visṛjya caiva sātmānaṁ tasmiṁstīrthe divaṁ yayau||

'Your daughter, having performed austerity at Shulabheda according to her ability, and having given up her very self, has gone to heaven at that tirtha.'"

Verse 9 (skanda.5.213.9)

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः। संदेशं कथयिष्यामस्त्वयोक्तं शोभनव्रते। मातापितृभ्यां सुश्रोणि मा तेऽभूदत्र संशयः॥

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ| saṁdeśaṁ kathayiṣyāmastvayoktaṁ śobhanavrate| mātāpitṛbhyāṁ suśroṇi mā te'bhūdatra saṁśayaḥ||

The brahmins said: "Fair one, of excellent vow, we shall convey the message you have spoken to your mother and father; let there be no doubt in you about this."

Verse 10 (skanda.5.213.10)

ततो विसृज्य तांल्लोकान् स्थिता पर्वतमूर्धनि। अर्धोत्तरीयवस्त्रेण गाढं बद्धा पुनःपुनः॥

tato visṛjya tāṁllokān sthitā parvatamūrdhani| ardhottarīyavastreṇa gāḍhaṁ baddhā punaḥpunaḥ||

Then, having renounced those worlds, she stood at the mountain's summit; binding herself tightly, again and again, with half of her upper garment,

Verse 11 (skanda.5.213.11)

ततश्चिक्षेप सात्मानमेकचित्ता नराधिप। नगार्द्धे पतिता यावत्तावद्दृष्टाः सुराङ्गनाः॥

tataścikṣepa sātmānamekacittā narādhipa| nagārddhe patitā yāvattāvaddṛṣṭāḥ surāṅganāḥ||

O lord of men, single-minded, she then cast herself down; and as she fell down the middle of the mountainside, celestial women were seen,

Verse 12 (skanda.5.213.12)

भोभो वत्से महाभागे भानुमत्यतितापसि। दिव्यं विमानमारुह्य कैलासं प्रति गम्यताम्॥

bhobho vatse mahābhāge bhānumatyatitāpasi| divyaṁ vimānamāruhya kailāsaṁ prati gamyatām||

saying: "Ho, dear child of great fortune, greatly austere Bhanumati! Mount this divine celestial chariot and go toward Kailasa."

Verse 13 (skanda.5.213.13)

ततः सा पश्यतां तेषां जनानां त्रिदिवं गता॥

tataḥ sā paśyatāṁ teṣāṁ janānāṁ tridivaṁ gatā||

Then, even as those people looked on, she went to the third heaven.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.213.14)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच। इति ते कथितः सर्वः शूलभेदस्य विस्तरः। यः श्रुतः शङ्करात्पूर्वमृषिदेवसमागमे॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca| iti te kathitaḥ sarvaḥ śūlabhedasya vistaraḥ| yaḥ śrutaḥ śaṅkarātpūrvamṛṣidevasamāgame||

Markandeya said: "Thus has this whole account of Shulabheda been told to you, as it was heard of old from Shankara at the assembly of sages and gods.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.213.15)

य इदं पठते भक्त्या तीर्थे देवकुलेऽपि वा। स मुच्यते महापापादपि जन्मशतार्जितात्॥

ya idaṁ paṭhate bhaktyā tīrthe devakule'pi vā| sa mucyate mahāpāpādapi janmaśatārjitāt||

Whoever recites this with devotion, at a tirtha or even in a temple, is freed even from a great sin accumulated over a hundred births.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.213.16)

ब्रह्महा च सुरापी च स्तेयी च गुरुतल्पगः। गोघाती स्त्रीविघाती च देवब्रह्मस्वहारकः॥

brahmahā ca surāpī ca steyī ca gurutalpagaḥ| goghātī strīvighātī ca devabrahmasvahārakaḥ||

The killer of a brahmin, the drinker of liquor, the thief, the violator of his guru's bed, the killer of a cow, the killer of a woman, the plunderer of the wealth of gods and brahmins,

Verse 17 (skanda.5.213.17)

स्वामिद्रोही मित्रघाती तथा विश्वासघातकः। परन्यासापहारी च परनिक्षेपलोपकः॥

svāmidrohī mitraghātī tathā viśvāsaghātakaḥ| paranyāsāpahārī ca paranikṣepalopakaḥ||

the betrayer of his master, the killer of a friend, and likewise the betrayer of trust, the embezzler of another's deposit, and the one who defaults on another's pledge,

Verse 18 (skanda.5.213.18)

रसभेदी तुलाभेदी तथा वार्द्धुषिकस्तु यः। यः कन्याविघ्नकर्ता च तथा विक्रयकारकः॥

rasabhedī tulābhedī tathā vārddhuṣikastu yaḥ| yaḥ kanyāvighnakartā ca tathā vikrayakārakaḥ||

the adulterator of oils and essences, the falsifier of scales, and whoever is a usurer, whoever obstructs a maiden's marriage, and likewise one who traffics in what should not be sold,

Verse 19 (skanda.5.213.19)

परभार्या भ्रातृभार्या गौः स्नुषा कन्यका तथा। अभिगामी परद्वेषी तथा धर्मप्रदूषकः॥

parabhāryā bhrātṛbhāryā gauḥ snuṣā kanyakā tathā| abhigāmī paradveṣī tathā dharmapradūṣakaḥ||

one who approaches another's wife, a brother's wife, a cow, a daughter-in-law, or a maiden, one who hates others, and likewise the defiler of righteousness —

Verse 20 (skanda.5.213.20)

मुच्यन्ते सर्वे एवैते शूलभेदप्रभावतः॥

mucyante sarve evaite śūlabhedaprabhāvataḥ||

all of these are freed, by the very power of Shulabheda.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.213.21)

य इदं श्रावयेच्छ्राद्धे विप्राणां भुञ्जतां नृप। मुदं प्रयान्ति संहृष्टाः पितरस्तस्य सर्वशः॥

ya idaṁ śrāvayecchrāddhe viprāṇāṁ bhuñjatāṁ nṛpa| mudaṁ prayānti saṁhṛṣṭāḥ pitarastasya sarvaśaḥ||

O king, whoever causes this to be recited to brahmins as they eat during a shraddha — his ancestors, greatly delighted, attain joy in every way.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.213.22)

यश्चेदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या पठ्यमानं नरो वशी। स मुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यः सर्वकल्याणभाग्भवेत्॥

yaścedaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā paṭhyamānaṁ naro vaśī| sa muktaḥ sarvapāpebhyaḥ sarvakalyāṇabhāgbhavet||

And whoever, self-controlled, hears this recited with devotion is freed from all sins and becomes possessed of every blessing.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.213.23)

इदं यशस्यमायुष्यमिदं पावनमुत्तमम्। पठतां शृण्वतां नृणामायुःकीर्तिविवर्धनम्॥

idaṁ yaśasyamāyuṣyamidaṁ pāvanamuttamam| paṭhatāṁ śṛṇvatāṁ nṛṇāmāyuḥkīrtivivardhanam||

This brings fame, this brings long life, this is most purifying; for those who recite it and those who hear it, it increases life and renown.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.213.24)

इति कथितमिदं ते शूलभेदस्य पुण्यं महिमन हि मनुष्यैः श्रूयते यत्सपापैः। मदनरिपुतटिन्या याम्यकूलस्थितस्य प्रबलदुरितकन्दोच्छेदकुद्दालकल्पम्॥

iti kathitamidaṁ te śūlabhedasya puṇyaṁ mahimana hi manuṣyaiḥ śrūyate yatsapāpaiḥ| madanariputaṭinyā yāmyakūlasthitasya prabaladuritakandocchedakuddālakalpam||

Thus has this sacred greatness of Shulabheda been told to you — heard even by sinful men; the greatness of that tirtha, seated upon the southern bank of the river of Madana's Foe (Shiva), which is like a mattock that uproots the very root of overpowering sin."